Joint for golf clubs



Dec. 1 8, 1928. 1,695,291

F. MULLER JOINT FOR GOLF CLUBS Filed June 21, 1927 m INVENTOR.

BY K 2 A ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 18, 1928.

FRIEDERICH MliTLLER, OF ELIZABETH, JERSEY.

- JOINT FOR GoLFoLUBs.

Application filed June 21, 1927. Serial No. 200,318.

This invention relates to golf clubs and more particularly to the method of joining the head of the club onto the shaft.

It has for its object theprovision of means for rigidly securing the head of a golf club onto the shaft as well as protecting the joint between the two parts.

Another object is to arrange a ferrule upon the joint between the head and shaft of a olf club which'is seamless in its construction and of uniform material throughout. Such a construction and the process for carrying it out render it particularly adaptable. for use on a joint in a golf club. The sleeve thus formed conforms to the'shape of the joint and touches every point. Methods heretofore used for applying such a sleeve have been more or less ineffective,

inasmuch as they do not conform strictly to the shape of the joint. Another object of thisinvention is to apply a sleeve to the joint between the shaft and the head of a ess which includeselectro-depositing metallic material onto the outsideofthe joint in such a way as to closelyconforin to the surfaces and interlock with any irregularities. This interlocking can be enhanced if 'desired, by providing screw threads or other forms of ridges, indentations or the equivalent on the adjacent surfaces of the twoparts. This construction adds to the security and rigidity of the joint in a golf club and is particularly adapted to such a joint on account of the closeness of the fit obtain able. This sleeve may be formed inone piece in this manner without seams'or'othcr joints at which points of weakness may'develop.

Further and more definite ob ects may be appreciated and particularly pointed'out in v specification, I

connection with the followin claimsand drawings, in which 'Fig. 1 is an assembled view of a golf club embodyingthe invention; 7 V c Fig. 2 shows an enlarged view of the joint in which the end of the shaftand of the head is broken away, showing part insectiono; I

"Fig. 3. shows the arrangement ofthe ad jacent surfaces of the head and shaftprior to depositing the metal thereon; and

Fig. 4 shows thejclub in the position wh'ich it occupies in the process of applying the sleeve;

golf club by a special procwith the head 2 by the joint This joint may be of the form shown in Fig. 2 inwhich the shaft 1 is shown in the form of a tapered hollow tubuiar member having tapered end portion dinserted within the recess 5 of the tapered socket portion or shank 6 which Fig. 3 may be provided. If desired, a series of screw threads or other form of ridges or grooves 9-and 10 maybe formed in the shaft or head portions orboth. When the two parts have been combined, the wooden or other nonconducting surfaces may be covered to the desired extent with graphite or other electrically conductive medium 12 which may be caused to adhere in any suitable and well 'known nanner' A rubber;

tube 11 as shown in Fig. 4 or other insulating coating may be applied to the part to be lmmersed in the chemical solution and which itis intended to remain unaffected by .the'

solution. This tubing should be 7 closely fitted so that no liquidican come in contact with the parts covered thereby and is removed after the process has beencompleted. Contact is made with; thegraphite or other conducting surfacel2 by any proper means such as the wire 13, and another electrical connection may be madeto the solution or bath 14. by means of'plate 15 properlyconnected to a source ofpotential. (not shown).

saltof the metal to be coated on'the oint is dissolved in the solution la-and upon the passage of current between the plate 15 and the. wire 13 in :the properdirection as is well understood in the art of electro deposition, a metallic coating will beelectrodeposited on the coating 12-and upon the adjacent surface of the metal shaft which is in electrical connection withthe co'ating12.

The manner of depositing the metal on the I joint is according to the well-known practices and materials employed in electrojdeposition. Thusif a depositiof copper is The shaft l'of the club may be connected desired, the usual methods and materials,

electrolytic process appearing on page 677 of the June 1927 issue of the publication entitled Mechanical Engineering.

The sleeve also aids in preventing the separation of the two parts on account of the grooves 9 and lO into which the metal has been deposited, conformingtothe shape of the joint and adjacent surfaces, and touch ing at every point.

It can thus be seen that a sleeve is applied. to a joint between two reversely tapered surfaces, which is homogeneous throughoutits extent and without seams or other inherent lines of weakness. The sleeve may be applied to any type of golf club utilizing metallic or wooden heads or shafts. In the particular structure shown, a metallic shaft is described in connection with a wooden head but it is not lntended to be limited to this construction inasmuch 'as both shaft and. head may be ofmetal, both may be of wood or other suitable electrically insulating material, or one may be of metal and the other of wood. Where metal is used no coating 12 is needed on the metal part, the electrodeposition being restricted to the desired part by permitting that part only to come into contact with the bath i l. I In the case of a wooden or other nonconducting memher, the deposition is produced on the area desired by applying the graphite or other conducting covering to that area.

While the invention has been illustrated in what are considered its best applications, the

invention may have its product embodied in structures other than that shown in the drawings and the process may have its details varied, without departing from the spirit of the invention; the invention is not, therefore, limited to the structure shown in the drawings nor to the'precise details of the method as recited.

hat claim 1s: 1. In a. golf club, the combination with 'a head havinga tapering shank portion into which is inserted a handle having a taper in a reverse direction, means for securing said head and handle in inseparable relation comprising a sleeve of electro-deposited material. 2. In a golf club, a headportion, a shaft portion and an element for securing said portions together comprising a sleeve electrodeposited thereon.

8. in a golf club, the combination with a head having a grooved tapering shank portion into which is inserted a handle having a taper in a reverse direction, means for securing said head and grooved handle in in separable relation comprising a sleeve of elcctro-c cposited material about said grooved portions.

. 4:. in a golf club, the combination with a head ano shaft, having reverse tapers and one being inserted within the other, and a seamless reinforcing sleeve electro-deposited about said head and shaft adjacent the point of insertion.

5. A golf club having a head and a shaft joined thereto by an electro-deposited sleeve.

6. In a golf club, the combination with a wooden head having a tapering externally grooved shank, a grooved handle having a taper in reverse directionwhich is inserted into an opening in said shank, and an electro-deposited sleeve for securing said head and handle together through interlocking with said grooves.

7. A golf club having two members including a head and a shaft and indentations in one of said members adjacenttheir joint, and a sleeve electro-deposited thereon.

8. A golf club having a head, a socket therein, a metallic shaft inserted in the socket,-ridges and depressions formed on the outside of the socket andshaft for maintaining a rigid sleeve in position thereon.

9. A golf club having ahead, including a tapered shank, a shaft inserted in said shank and having a tapered portion adjacent the point of insertion, indentations in said club adjacent said point of insertion, and metallic means applied to the joint andsaid indentations for rigidly combining said'head and shaft.

10. A connection between a socket having indentations on its outside surface and an ins rted piece having indentations including an electro-deposited reinforcing sleeve.

11. A, golf club having'a head connected to a shaft by means of an electro-deposited sleeve and means for providing an interlock between said parts.

12. In a golf club, a head portion, a shaft portion and an element for securing said portions together comprising a sleeve formed thereon by depositing material in a finely divided state. I

13. In a golf club, the combinationwith a head and shaft, having reverse tapers and one beinginsertcd within the other, and a seamless sleeve found about said head and shaft adjacent the pointer insertion by depositing material therein in a finely divided state.

1a. A golf club having a head, a recess 111 said head, a tapered shaft inserted in said recess and a sleeve, formed by deposition of material in a finely divided state, about said head and shaft adjacent the point of inser- 5 tion.

15. A golf club having two members including a head and a shaft, at leastone of said members having indentations adjacent their joint and a sleeve formed by depositing 10 material in a finely divided state upon said head and shaft adjacent their joint.

16. In a golf club, a head portion of Wood,

a metal shaft portion and an element for securing said ortions together comprising a sleeve formed thereon by depositing'material in a finely divided state. or

17. In a golf club, a head portion of wood, a metal shaft portion and an element for securing said portions together comprising a metal sleeve formed thereon by depositing material in a finely divided state.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification this 6th day of June, 1927.

FRIEDERICH MULLER. 

